Going Deeper with Voice Dialogue

For over a decade I've been leading voice dialogue processes, inspired by Genpo Roshi's Big Mind process. This incredible technology allows us to inquire into various interior voices, or parts, of our personality. Some of the thousands of voices one might include in the process are The Protector, The Controller, The Wounded Child, The Seeker, and Boundless Heart.

In this process, the facilitator asks to speak to each of these voices, and asks a series of questions of each voice. Questions might include "what is your function?" or "what wisdom do you offer the Self?" The participant then answers the questions as that voice. The results usually are a profoundly deeper understanding of the Self, including the possibility of an understanding of one's irreduceably divine nature.

This process also can be done by an individual in a journaling exercise.

My friend and colleague Andy Martin has inspired me to flesh out the questions one can ask each of the voices with these questions:

1. How old are you?

2. Did you have a happy childhood? Why/why not?

3. Past/ present relationships? How did they affect you? Who is the "other" in your life?

4. What do you care about?

5. What are you obsessed with?

6. What is your biggest fear?

7. What is the best thing that ever happened to you? The worst?

8. Most embarrasing thing that ever happened to you?

9. What is your biggest secret?

10. What is the one word you would use to define yourself?

Naturally, not all of these questions will be applicable to all voices. They do, however, broaden the palette a bit, and have the potential to enrich the dialogue with our "parts".